


Telling the family

by MurderBaby



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Killugon - Freeform, M/M, Spoiler Alert - Freeform, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-09 20:24:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6921958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderBaby/pseuds/MurderBaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gon and Killua's news sends ripples through the lives of their friends and family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Biscuit Krueger

Biscuit Krueger hadn't been on a proper adventure in years, really. Focusing on her growing martial arts school filled her days. She'd seen more than a few of her students graduate to be fully fledged Hunters in the last year alone. 

When two of her favorite students paid her a visit on one of her few days off, she felt like she'd been invited to step back in time to go on another fantastic adventure. 

"You two! Come in, come in!" Biscuit, Bisky to anyone who she considered a friend, waved in the two tall men crowding her doorway. 

To anyone peering at the gathering friends, Bisky appeared to be the youngest one in the room by at least a decade. Fair, with long, curly blond hair, and rosy pink cheeks, Bisky wore a billowing, bell shaped pink dress, lace gloves, and Mary Jane shoes with frilly socks. 

"Sorry it's been so long, Bisky!" said the man with broad shoulders, and sun-darkened skin. He stood a few inches shorter than his pale skinned companion with the effortlessly quiet footsteps, and long limbs. 

"It's not like you ever call us to see how we're doing, either, since you opened the school," said the other man. His wry voice was filled with teasing affection. 

They both stood head and shoulders above Bisky, yet the respect and admiration in both of their voice was obvious.

Despite that, Bisky puffed out her cheeks, and crossed her arms. 

"You're supposed to respect your elders! You ingrates. I shouldn't have to look you two up. How would I be expected to find you, anyway, when you're always traveling to the most dangerous places in the world? I have to hold my breath with worry whenever I do receive news about either of you," Bisky said, loudly and with a huff. She rushed behind her guests, and shut the door. She pushed both of them ahead of her, until they entered the cozy sitting room right beyond the foyer. 

Bisky might have looked like a young teenage girl, but her living room was filled with the comfortable opulence of a woman who'd lived a long time, and enjoyed living in a beautiful home. Bisky made both men sit on her not-quite-large-enough, antique sofa, while she shuffled off to the kitchen to prepare tea and snacks. Her heart softened while she heard her two former students' chatter quietly to each other in the other room. 

The last time they'd been alone like this had been more than 10 years ago. Both men were still boys. Filled with overflowing energy, eager to learn everything they could about Nen, and the art of fighting, and becoming competent Hunters. Well, maybe not at first. Bisky still found herself giggling to herself when she remembered the dark skinned man's smaller, sweeter 12-year-old face puffing with the effort of trying to remember her complicated instructions. Or the icy blue eyes of his white-blond haired friend stinging with outrage when he looked at Bisky like she was just some frivolous hanger-on. 

"I really am happy to see both of you," Bisky said, with genuine warmth, not the playfully sore tone she'd used earlier. She set the tray of tea and snacks on the table. "I'm just too sentimental in my old age. It does my heart so good to see you two doing well, and here together!"

Bisky sat down across from her guests. Gon Freecs, the broader man, with the wide, easy smile, bounced both of his legs without realizing seeming to realize he was doing it. Gon threw off energy like polished, glittering gold. He wore plain, utilitarian clothing. Knee length green shorts, and a white tank top under soft, well worn leather. His green boots had clearly been laced, and re-laced, countless times. The patch on one side threatened to fray off at any moment. 

Next to him, Killua Zoldyck crossed his legs, still and smooth like the cleanest cut of a flawless gemstone. His clothing reflected the careful styling of his hair. He wore clearly expensive shoes, belt, and wrist watch. Tailored purple pants, and a form fitting black turtleneck shirt looked brand new. 

Tanned skin, and a smooth alabaster. Shining like the sun, reflective like the moon. Opposites on the surface. 

Killua reached for his tea, carefully avoiding meeting Bisky's eyes. Gon looked around, taking everything in, yet unable to focus on anything for too long.

Both of her young friends were about as nervous as she'd ever seen them. She found herself frowning, which was quite unlike herself. Old age, she thought, with a sigh. 

"You two didn't come just to visit, did you? Is something wrong?" Bisky asked. 

Gon's smile slipped. His leg bounced faster. It jolted Killua's crossed legs, spilling tea. Killua caught the spilled drop with his hands. He licked the tea off his hand while setting the teacup down. 

"Gon, this was your idea," Killua whispered, with a slight, nervous chastening tone in his voice. He turned his eyes to Gon, and they went soft. Bisky had only seen Killua's sharp, clever blue eyes turn soft when they looked at Gon. 

She watched Killua gently grip Gon's knee to steady its movements. Gon placed his wide hand over the top.

Bisky had known, of course. She'd known, because it had been one of the most popular pieces of Hunter gossip for years. Gon Freecs and Killua Zoldyck had probably been a couple for longer than anyone had officially known. But anyone with an active mind and open eyes knew they'd been in love with each other long before either young man realized it themselves. 

Their easy, familiar intimacy made Bisky's breath catch. The way those two tough, strong, fierce, sometimes terrifying boys cared for each other had been what endeared her to them so long ago. She'd certainly seen them since the rumors started swirling that the infamous former assassin, and the darling of the Association since the East Gorteau incident, had become an item. 

She'd studied their careful, secretive movements. The way they carefully watched everyone around them, keeping them at a distance. Keeping each other safe from publicly revealing their own deep feelings.

For them to reveal themselves in her own home, well, it was a bit much.

"Oh, you two," Bisky said, feeling a small sniffle grow in the space between her nose and throat.

Killua's head whipped around, and realized why she made that sound. He tore his hand away from Gon's knee, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. 

"It was my idea to surprise her, but you wanted to ask her either way," Gon replied, softly. He looked at Bisky. He looked nervous, but with that bursting, inexhaustible excitement that had been his most prized trait since she's known him as a child Hunter. Killua blushed, and looked away from both of them towards the other side of the room. 

Gon looked at Bisky, and smiled. 

"Uh, we...Uh...huh, this is harder than I thought it'd be," Gon said, finally, and threw his hands up.

Killua, still blushing, still unable to meet anyone's eyes, shoved both hands into his pockets. His black turtleneck did a poor job hiding his Adam's apple as it bobbed nervously in his throat. Bisky watched as Killua pulled his fist out. 

"Gon, uh..." Killua started, nervously. He opened his hand. A small, gorgeous silver ring, inset with small, green gems, sparkled in his hand. Bisky's Gem Hunter's instincts wanted to snatch it away to get a closer look. 

Her love for the boys, and her understanding of what this could mean, held her hands still in front of her face. She started to choke up.

Killua slipped the ring on his left hand's ring finger. His entire face and neck turned into the color of shining rubies. Gon slipped his hand in Killua's, and laughed. 

"Killua said yes!" Gon said. He held Killua's hand like a trophy. His dark brown fingers laced in between Killua's slim, white ones. Killua smiled, and balanced his chin on the fist of his free hand. He looked at Bisky sideways.

"So, you're gonna have to be in the wedding, okay?" Killua said. Smirking. Creaking with his own clear, barely contained excitement. 

"YOU TWO!"

Bisky flew across the table, wrapping her two boys up in her arms. Tea and cookies went flying. She knew she'd probably ruined her beloved royal blue rug. It was the happiest news she'd had in a long time.

"You have to tell me the whole story, but first..." Bisky said. She grabbed Killua's hand, and plucked the ring off, before the fast, brilliant, talented man could even blink in response.

"BISKY!" Killua shouted.

She turned away, smirking. Maybe that explained why Bisky never settled down herself. Maybe you just got sloppy. She held the ring up to the light shining through her large, open windows.

"Oh this is simply gorgeous, Gon, well done!" Bisky exclaimed. Gon laughed, and stood up. Bisky saw Killua slump back on the couch out of the corner of her eyes. His sapphire eyes twinkled as he looked at her.

"Told you she'd be too old and senile to remember, Gon," Killua said. He bent both of his arms back behind his head, and leaned back.

"Old and senile? You little, ungrateful, snot nosed..." Bisky started. She swung around. As she did, the light reflecting off the green gems and carved silver of Killua's engagement ring loosened a memory from deep in her heart.

"Oh, you two, oh, wait here," Bisky said, delighted. She pressed the ring into Gon's hands. 

Gon gave a giddy laugh. He handed the ring back to Killua, who slipped it back on his hand.

Bisky ran down the hall, and into her bedroom. She pulled open the drawer in the bedside table. It could only be opened with her own Nen. She kept her most beloved and prized possessions there.

She reached in to feel for the box covered with soft, crushed grey velvet. She carried it out of the bedroom. Killua sat on the couch, and held four cookies in his hand, while he placed the fifth one in his mouth. Gon was still standing, and watching him, quietly, adoringly, still shaking with the adrenaline of sharing this news.

Bisky stepped up to the couch, and shooed Killua over to make room. Gon couldn't fit on the couch anymore, so he stepped behind it, and looked over their shoulders.

"It really does feel like you two are taking me back in time to my youth," Bisky said.

"Bisky, we're not 300 years old," Killua said around a full mouth of cookie, and a delighted smirk.

"Killua!" Gon exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Killua's neck. Killua looked up at Gon's grimacing face. While he was distracted, Bisky grabbed Killua's left hand, and removed the ring a second time.

"Hey!" Killua shouted, while Gon pressed his face into Killua's white mop of hair, laughing.

"Don't blame me, blame the fact that you two have been spending more time writing each other romantic sonnets, or whatever you do now, rather than training," Bisky said, breezily. She waved the ring around, admiring the green sheen. She carefully set it in her lap, and then opened the grey velvet box beside it.

"Oh!" Gon exclaimed, leaning over between Killua and Bisky's heads. Killua hummed softly.

Sitting carefully on the small, silky cushion inside sat one improbably sized blue gemstone. Hundreds of perfectly smooth facets caught the late morning light, reflecting blue circles against the walls and ceiling and faces of the gathered friends.

"Blue Planet!' Gon shouted. He reached his hand towards it, and Bisky slapped it away.

"Not a chance, little man," said Bisky, in a high, sing-song voice. Gon whimpered quietly, and held his hand to his lips.

"Got it in one, grandma," Killua said, as he peeked past the brightly colored gem.

Bisky ignored her irritation with her then, now, and forever a smart-ass former student as she admired her treasures. Blue Planet, the huge gemstone that was Bisky's prize for helping Gon win Greed Island, his father Ging Freecs's massive, dangerous game.

Nestled beside the gem was a small silver ring. Less polished than the new ring Gon had given Killua, but finely made, with large green stones, and complicated inlaid runes. The runes were actually specially prepared patterns meant to enhance and interact with Nen. Using this ring, as well as an identical ring for each boy, Bisky and her young friends were able to play inside an immense, imagined world.

Gon and Killua had been young, and as raw as freshly mined gemstones. Thanks to the challenges of Greed Island, and her own excellent tutelage, she's refined the boys into two glittering treasures themselves.

Bisky pulled out her ring, and set it on her palm. Next to it, she placed the engagement ring Gon had given Killua.

The ring Bisky had worn during Green Island was larger, almost like costume jewelry. It was something she'd only worn during their short, exciting, dangerous, and wonderful adventure. She'd put it aside once she'd returned home. Safely nestled in the drawer beside her bed, Bisky kept the most important treasures, her memories of her precious young friends, safely stored in her heart. 

That was what really mattered to her now, as she grew older.

Looking at the smaller, shinier, new ring, Bisky felt her sentimental old eyes tear up again. The elegant design showed care in its delicate construction, and care paid to the fact that Killua could wear the ring every day. Bisky found it hard to believe the now grown man would do so. She doubted he would ever outgrow his peculiar sense of shyness. A beautifully made ring worn on his left ring finger was bound to attract attention he wouldn't care to endure.

Even more noticeable was the size of the ring. The special ring used for Green Island changed shape to fit the size of the player's finger. The ring had fit Bisky's petite finger perfectly.

Bisky picked up her small treasure. When she set it down again, it nestled perfectly inside the larger engagement ring.

She couldn't stop the tears anymore.

"You two..." Bisky cried. The tears spilled on her hands. Killua yelped, and grabbed both rings from her hands. Bisky clasped her hands together, and bent her face over them.

"If I knew all you'd do was bawl, we would have just called," Killua said. Not unkindly.

"We're not just here to invite you to come, though," Gon said, standing up straighter, and placing both hands on Killua's shoulders. "Killua has a question for you."

Killua had been gently cleaning the tears off both rings with the hem of his shirt. He looked up at Gon when he heard his voice above him. 

"What?!" 

Gon squeezed Killua's shoulders, and gently tilted him back and forth. Killua groaned with playful irritation as his head swayed back and forth.

"It's the whole reason we made the trip! You said you could never ask her this over the phone," Gon said, smiling. 

Killua placed Bisky's ring back into its spot in the box, and slipped his ring back on his finger. He crossed his arms. Gon continued tipping his shoulders back and forth. 

"If you don't do it, I'll do it, Killua!" Gon teased. Bisky wiped her face with both hands, soaking her gloves. She removed them, and set the gloves and the box gently on the coffee table. 

"Okay, fine!" Killua snapped. He shook Gon's hands off his shoulder. He sat forward, and balanced his elbows on his knees.

"Oh, just a moment, boys," Bisky said, sniffling. She stood up, and rustled through her pockets. She pulled out a pink, silk handkerchief with delicate lace trim. She dabbed both of her eyes, and blew her nose with a loud honk. The indignities she suffered for her boys. Killua cleared his throat, and Bisky looked down at him. 

"Um, okay, so, Gon is going to be asking his Aunt Mito to do it, and so Gon suggested..."

"Liar, it was all Killua's idea!" Gon said, interrupting Killua's stammering sentence. 

"Ugh, Gon, shut up," Killua continued. "Anyway, Gon's going to ask Aunt Mito to give him away at the wedding, and he said it didn't make sense for me not to have someone do the same thing, so we..." Killua said, quickly, his deep tenor creaking slightly. "...I...am wondering if you would give me away." 

Killua's nearly translucent pale skin showed every splotch of bright red embarrassment coloring his face. He couldn't meet Bisky's eyes. His eyes bore an invisible hole into her rug.

"Me?" Bisky asked, surprised, touched, and confused. "But, Killua, what about your own family?" 

The happy, nostalgic atmosphere turned stifling within moments. Killua didn't say anything. Bisky looked up, and watched Gon pull his hands back, making two unconscious fists as his head turned to look out the window.

"They are not coming," Gon said, his voice shredded with some deep, sharp bitterness. 

Gon's tone clicked together the pieces in Bisky's own mind as soon as she heard him speak. Killua's family traveled in the darkest corners of the economy of the underworld. The industry of death for the right price had shaped his dangerous, young life. 

Bisky had ended lives. She'd done it in self-defense, in anger, in the fair exchange of blows between equals in a contest of strength and skill. She'd always done it because she had chosen to use her own fists under her own power. 

She had watched Killua, the slight, fierce boy grow from a dangerous, cunning, over-confident smart-ass into a serious and brilliant fighter. She'd watched him exercise mercy, and do anything he could to help his friends. She'd seen him take careful steps to protect his dear friend, Gon.

She'd watched him when he transformed his potent life energy into thousands of electrified blue bolts. Beautiful, impossibly deadly, and only possible because of cruel and intentional pain inflicted upon him by his family from childhood. He was raised to be a weapon. Gon’s love had turned him back into himself.

"If any of them try, I..." Gon said darkly, and then stopped. Gon's endless reserves of warmth and admiration for Killua was apparent with every word the two exchange. And his capacity for prideful rage could have filled his body ten times over. When Killua was involved, that tipping point teetered on an edge hundreds of feet in the air. 

"Gon," Killua said, looking up. Calmly, and evenly. He sat up, and reached behind his head. Without needing to look, he found Gon's straining arm. He wrapped his long fingers around Gon's wrist. "It's all okay, Gon." 

Gon's entire body softened. Killua unfolded like petals in the sun. Killua turned his head around, and Gon exhaled. He looked at Killua.

"Sorry, Killua," Gon said. The name was an endearment. Killua shook his head.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize," Killua said. He let the wrist go, and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Alluka is the only member of my family who's invited," Killua said. Bisky nodded, and folded up her handkerchief as the tears dried on her cheeks. She smiled.

"I would be honored, Killua," Bisky answered. 

"Really?!" Gon said, his voice transformed, for just a moment, into the voice of that excitable 12 year old boy. Unfiltered delight. 

Killua nodded his head, and stood up. So tall Bisky had to tip her head up to look into his bashfully smiling face. How old must the boys be now? Old enough to decide that building his own family, on his own terms, was the goal he and Gon now pursued, together. 

Bisky's lip continued to quiver. She decided that this might very well get this wonderfully touching offer revoked, but Bisky had never been faint of heart. 

She reached both of her hands up, and balanced on her tip toes. She pressed her two, small hands to Killua's cheeks. Killua's skin flushed hot and clammy under her hands. He bent down, though, as she pulled his face towards her.

She kissed him gently on the forehead.

"I'm so happy for you, Killua," Bisky said. Killua's eyes sparkled with sudden tears. He brought one hand to his eyes, and wrapped his other arm around Bisky's shoulders.

"Thank you, Biscuit Krueger," Killua said, muffling his voice with his hand.

"Aww, you two...." Gon said, sniffling. He bounded over the couch, and wrapped Bisky and Killua up in a big bear hug. Bisky felt herself lift off the ground, as Gon easily lifted both of them.

"Gon!" they shouted in unison. Gon laughed as he set the tall man, and short woman, back to the floor with a careful thump.

Killua unwrapped his arm from Bisky's shoulder. He reached over, and flicked Gon on the forehead with a dense thwack. Gon rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. Killua turned back to Bisky.

"For right now, can you promise not to tell anyone else about this, or that we've asked you, or any of it?" Killua asked. Bisky nodded, and frowned.

"Of course, but you have to tell me why," Bisky said.

Killua and Gon looked at each other. Their faces mirrored each other's temporary loss of words.

Gon pressed his fingertips to his chin. "We haven't told anyone else yet."

"Not any other Hunters we know, at least. Only Gon's Aunt Mito, and my sister," Killua said.

Bisky pressed her fists to her waist, and nodded.

"Don't worry, kiddos, I'll keep it a secret until you tell me otherwise," Bisky said. "I'm sure it makes sense to trust a cunning and canny person like myself with such a big secret."

Killua crossed his arms, and turned his face away from Bisky.

"Bisky, that's not why we told you first," Killua said quietly.

Gon smiled. His golden eyes rested on the back of Killua's head. "We told you because we knew you'd definitely be happy for us," Gon said, to both of them.

 _You two..._

There was no way for either of Bisky's former students to escape from her hug, now, or the torrent of tears soaking their shirts. Killua just sighed, and hugged Bisky back. Gon laughed.

"Thank you, Bisky," Gon said. The morning light made Bisky's happy tears sparkle like diamonds.


	2. Mito Freecs, pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fics bounce around in this timeline, as you'll see, so bear with me, and we'll all get through it together.

"I'm fine, Aunt Mito, I promise!"

Maybe it was inevitable that Gon's tone would turn petulant with the weight of his adolescent years. When Gon returned home to Whale Island three years ago, Mito felt like her head had finally lifted above dark, turbulent waters of loneliness. She'd always had work to keep her busy. She had friends all over the island.

But without Gon, the days felt cold and empty. 

When Gon returned home, if not forever, than at least for the time being, it felt like the sun returned to Mito's days. 

Something profound had changed her beloved nephew. He had grown bigger and stronger. His face began to lose the softness of his baby fat, and change into the handsome definition of his adulthood. He looked like his father, to be honest, which made Mito do a double take sometimes when she looked at him.

Yet, Gon would have inherited his father's look regardless of where he'd traveled, or what he did. What had truly changed within Gon - or perhaps had become too overwhelming for her to pretend it wasn't always there - was his distant, yearning stare. 

Something far away from their comfortable and happy home called to Gon. Something he'd left behind. Or perhaps, something he still needed to find. 

When Mito asked Gon what was wrong, and he responded with his own gentle brand of irritation, Mito sensed it wasn't Gon lying to her, or evading her questions.

Gon didn't understand what was missing, either. 

"He's almost a grown man, little one," said Mito and Gon's grandmother. She bent over a bowl of freshly picked snow peas, peeling off each of the thin strings with patience and persistence. "Even if he wasn't his father's son, even if he hadn't been on enough adventure to last him a few lifetimes over, he'd be getting ready to move on." 

The world was huge. Gon was his father's son. Both men had the whole world waiting for them at their fingertips. 

Gon was Mito's whole world. 

Mito stood at the sink washing dishes. Through the window of her clean, brightly lit kitchen, she watched Gon. He stood in the yard without moving. When he wasn't working on the make up assignments for math class that had filled his summer days, he explored the island like he had as a child. 

Some days, though, he would spend an entire afternoon standing in one place. His eyes closed in concentration. She could walk next to him and tap him on the shoulder, and he'd startle so badly he'd actually fall over. 

"I'm training, Aunt Mito," is the only explanation he would give her. 

Gon's head tipped forward. She could see the top of his spine poke out from the back of his neck. He had grown almost as tall as her, at this point, and would overtake her height any day now. His long shadow fell on the grass as the sun set behind him. Mito knew if she approached him now she'd risk unbalancing him. 

She realized that would be true no matter where or when she approached him, now. 

He stood on the other side of the streaked pane of glass. She could see him, but she couldn't touch him. 

The trilling beep of Gon's beetle shaped phone sang its irritating and unavoidable song from inside his bedroom upstairs. She could hear it float down the stairs, and out of the window he left open regardless of the weather. 

Gon's eyes burst open. His body coiled and uncoiled like a spring. He bounded back into the house, and up the stairs, faster than Mito could properly see. 

Gon hadn't been concentrating, this time. He'd been waiting. 

Grandma would rib her terribly if she knew she wanted to follow her nephew up to his room to eavesdrop through the door at his private conversations. 

True, he was 18 now. True. He could more than take care of himself, too. All of that was true.

But he was never fine, no matter how many times he insisted otherwise. No matter how brightly he smiled at her in the morning, or how warmly he embraced her before bed, as had been their ritual since he was a small child. 

Gon's eyes traveled to lands beyond the horizon Mito could only imagine. His heart had long since found a new home. 

Mito focused on the task in front of her. Dishes, and then dinner. Gon would be hungry. He always ate enough for two or three these days, especially during his mysterious "training" days. Grandma had finished preparing the snow peas, and had stoked the fire inside the brick oven that would bake the bread they had started proofing earlier in the day. Five huge, bright eyed fish sat in bowls of ice water, ready to join the bread in the blistering heat after some simple preparation. 

Gon would finish his school requirements by the end of summer. When the tourists left at the start of autumn, she knew Gon would be joining them on a boat to the mainland.

When dinner sat chilling on the kitchen table, Mito stopped yelling for Gon after half a dozen attempts. She sat up, too quickly to appear casual, and announced to no one in particular, "I guess I have to tell him dinner's ready myself."

Mito grabbed her skirt as she climbed the stairs, so it wouldn't drag along the floor, and felt her knuckles grip so tightly they turned white with strain. She climbed the stairs. Her shoulders lifted towards her ears.

Quiet sobs. Hiccups. Ceaseless tapping of fingers against the wooden surface of a desk. 

Mito froze in front of the closed door to Gon's room. She held her knuckle still inches from the door. 

"Gon?"

A tumble of papers fell to the floor. Mito pictured Gon's precariously organized homework flying everywhere as he stood up from his desk. She imagined him rubbing his forearm against his eyes. 

"Oh, Mito, I'm coming!" Gon replied. He'd gotten so good at playing pretend these days. If it weren't for the clear catch of the recent batch of tears in his throat as he spoke, she might have mistaken his tone for upbeat. 

After a few long minutes passed, the door creaked open. Mito quickly stepped aside. She turned away from the door, trying to pretend like she wasn't just hovering near it with worry. 

Gon paid no attention. 

"Gon?" Mito asked. Gon stood at the door, one hand on the doorknob, the other hanging at his hip. He opened and closed his fist. 

"I'm fine," Gon said. His lovely, brown eyes looked tired. The red veins looked painfully bright against the whites of his eyes. He'd rubbed his face so hard that Mito could see the soft, red abrasions still left behind on his cheeks. 

"Gon, I didn't even ask yet," Mito said. She spoke softly, with that slightly teasing tone she'd used when Gon tried to pretend he hadn't just carried a new pet frog inside the house in his backpack after it croaked, or when his entire outfit was smeared with mud, grass stains, and his own blood. 

Gon looked at Mito. She saw the wall he'd built around his heart cloud his eyes. 

Mito barely had to look down any more to meet Gon's eye line. He stood broad and strong. He had struggled at first to succeed at school work, and chores, and the routine of a normal life in a normal home. Now, when his heart wasn't pulled off to the distant parts of the globe, he did very well at his studies. He even had a few school mates that he could call friends. 

However, he rarely spent time with them after school. He never spent his days off in their company. 

He seemed to genuinely enjoy his meals with Mito, his long chats with grandma. They could enjoy the warmth of the sitting room fire, and companionable silence, as Mito worked on patching his constantly torns shorts and shirts. She'd even taught him to do it himself, and would hover over his shoulder offering advice. 

He was also desperately, achingly lonely. Mito had known the feeling of being surrounded by loved ones, and yet still missing the only person who could assuage the loneliness. 

The wall in Gon's eyes wasn't the one he had built, she realized. It was the one Mito had created between herself, and the future. 

Her own loneliness had clouded the truth.

She just wanted Gon to be happy. She never wanted him to leave her. Gon was a miraculous person, but he couldn't be in two places at once.

"Gon!" Mito said. Her arms went akimbo. She used her practiced tone of a young woman who became an aunt overnight, and a mother after falling in love with her tiny nephew, who knew that this child would have become some hungry foxbear's lunch if she didn't learn how to command his attention. 

Gon blinked, and pressed his lips together firmly. 

"Yes, Aunt Mito?"

"Come downstairs, and eat with me. And then!" Mito said, pointing directly at her nephew's nose. "We are going to have a long chat, young man."

**Author's Note:**

> I know I just need to actually finish a story before posting a new one. But the inspiration for this series of mini-fics hit me like a bolt of lightning. It's a present I'm giving myself before I start my new job after graduation. Sometimes you just need to enjoy the pure fluff of the sweetest pairing in the history of the world. 
> 
> Thoughts, comments, everything is welcome! If you'd like, I tumble at murderxbaby.tumblr.com. Everything KilluGon, all the time.


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